Label a QuickStage photo three ways: keep the "Virtually Staged" label on the image when you download it, add one caption line saying the furniture is digital, and tell the reader where the unaltered original is. We call that our Label, Line, Link rule. In California the disclosure and the pointer to the original are required by statute (Business and Professions Code §10140.8, in force since January 1, 2026); elsewhere your MLS and broker set the rule, so check with them before you upload.
Below: what QuickStage puts on the image, captions for each placement, and the California wording. This isn't legal advice.
What is the Label, Line, Link rule?
It's our own rule of thumb, not an industry standard and not any MLS's wording:
- Label. The words "Virtually Staged" sit on the image itself.
- Line. One sentence next to the photo says what was added.
- Link. The reader is told where the original, unaltered photo is: the next photo in the gallery, a URL or a QR code.
Each part covers a gap the others leave. A caption can get separated from a photo when the image is saved or shared; the label goes with it. The label is only two words, so the line explains them. And neither shows the empty room, which is what a buyer wants to check.
What does QuickStage put on the image?
When you download a photo staged on QuickStage, a short confirmation appears first. It includes a checkbox that reads Include "Virtually Staged" watermark on downloaded image, and it's ticked by default every time you download. Leave it ticked and your file carries the words "Virtually Staged" in white on a dark, translucent box in the lower right corner. The same choice applies whether you download one photo or the whole order as a ZIP.
Three details worth knowing:
- It's built to avoid your logo. If your original photo already has a logo or watermark in the bottom right, the label goes in the bottom left so the two don't overlap.
- It's a disclosure, not branding. The label says "Virtually Staged" and nothing else. There's no QuickStage name or logo on your photos.
- You can untick it. Do that only if your MLS or broker tells you not to put text on listing photos. Then the line and the link have to carry the whole disclosure.
The same confirmation asks you to tick a box saying you've reviewed the image and it accurately represents the property. Do that for real. Your results page shows each photo as a before-and-after slider, so drag it across and compare the staged version with the original before you download.
Our terms say it plainly: disclosing virtual staging on your listing is your responsibility. The label helps; it doesn't do the job for you.
What should the caption say in each placement?
Copy these and replace the parts in brackets. Use the "room itself is as photographed" wording only after you've compared the staged photo with the original and it's true.
| Placement | Copy-and-paste text |
|---|---|
| MLS photo caption, staged photo | Virtually staged. Furniture and decor are digital; the room itself is as photographed. The original, unaltered photo is next in the gallery. |
| MLS photo caption, short version | Virtually staged. Original photo follows. |
| MLS photo caption, original photo | Original, unaltered photo of the [living room]. |
| Public remarks | Photos [3, 6 and 9] are virtually staged. Furniture and decor were added digitally and are not included in the sale. The original, unaltered photo follows each staged photo. |
| Social post | Virtually staged: the furniture is digital, the room is real. Swipe to see the empty original. |
| Printed flyer or postcard | Image digitally altered (virtually staged). Scan the QR code to see the original, unaltered photo. |
| California-style, any placement | This image has been digitally altered: it is virtually staged, with furniture and decor added. The original, unaltered image can be viewed at [URL]. |
Two notes on using them:
- Pair every staged photo with its original. "Next in the gallery" is only true if you put it there.
- Print needs a QR code or a short URL. A flyer can't show a second photo, so the link has to do that work.
What does California require?
California's rule is Business and Professions Code §10140.8, added by AB 723 and in force since January 1, 2026. It applies to a real estate broker or salesperson, or someone acting for them, who uses a digitally altered image in an advertisement or other promotional material for the sale of real property. The definition of a digitally altered image names added furniture, so a virtually staged photo is covered. Ordinary adjustments such as exposure, white balance and cropping are not.
The statute asks for two things:
- A statement that the image has been altered. It has to be reasonably conspicuous and on or adjacent to the image.
- A link to a publicly accessible website, a URL or a QR code that includes and clearly identifies the original, unaltered image. The statement has to say that the unaltered image can be found there.
If the ad is on a website you control, the statute says to include the unaltered version in the posting, or link to it.
On our reading, that means the on-image label alone isn't enough in California, because "Virtually Staged" doesn't tell anyone where the original is. Use the California-style line from the table with it.
The original is yours to post. The slider on your QuickStage results page is for your own review; it isn't a public page for buyers. Keep the file you uploaded and put it in the gallery or on a page you control.
What should you ask your MLS?
MLS rules vary. Before the listing goes live, ask your MLS or your broker:
- Is text on the photo allowed, required or prohibited?
- Is there required wording for the caption or the remarks?
- Does the original have to appear in the gallery, and in what position?
- Are links allowed in public remarks?
If the answers conflict with the examples above, follow your MLS.
Why is "the furniture is digital, the room is real" an honest caption?
Because of what the staging is built to do. QuickStage is built to keep walls, windows, floors and paint colors as photographed and to add only movable furniture and decor. That's what makes a one-line caption possible: the only thing a buyer won't find at the showing is the sofa.
"Built to" is not a promise about every result, which is why you compare before you download. If the room itself looks different, don't use that photo.
And never use staging to hide a defect. A stain, a crack or damaged flooring belongs in the photo and in your disclosures, not under a digital rug.
What does it cost?
Your first 3 photos are free, with no account and no card. After that it's $1 per photo pay-as-you-go, or as low as $0.11 per photo on the annual Agency plan, billed yearly. Results take about 30 seconds, and QuickFix re-dos are included on plans. The label costs nothing extra. Current rates are in the price table on QuickStage.
Bottom line
Label, Line, Link. Keep "Virtually Staged" on the image, write one line that says the furniture is digital, and point to the original. In California, add where the unaltered image can be viewed, as §10140.8 requires. Everywhere, check your MLS and broker first. This isn't legal advice.
Label your first three QuickStage photos free, no card needed.